Confessions
by Sophie Capulet
Summary: Sophie is facing personal battles of her own, whilst Charlie is trying to learn about her past. Can he, Claire and Lorenzo help Sophie face up to the trauma of her past?
1. Confess to me

Sophie sat at her desk in her small single room apartment and she had never felt more alone. The sky was gray and cloud coated outside her window and the droplets of rain running down the cold glass matched the tears running down her cheeks. She couldn't understand why she found herself how she was now. She sat curled up in a soft comfortable chair, a blanket draped around her bare shoulders and the only light in the room coming from the screen of her computer. When she really thought about it, Sophie Hall knew she had everything she wanted. She had her dream writer's job at the New Yorker and she had Charlie, the man she knew loved her more than anything. But now, as she sat in her dark apartment room listening to the sound of the rain pouring down, Sophie was alone and isolated away from the world.

Charlie was in Italy, thousands of miles away. Sophie missed him so terribly and she couldn't stop thinking about him. She wished she could be with him, but she was being held prisoner by two things. Work and weather. Bobby wanted a new story about the secretaries of Juliet by next week and the recent rain and gale force winds were stopping planes from taking off and landing. She wanted Charlie with her now, she didn't want him to be in sunny Italy with Claire and Lorenzo, she wanted him to be with her in her little New York apartment, holding her close in her hour of need.

Wiping her tear filled eyes with the soft corner of the blanket, Sophie peered up at the computer screen where a heartfelt email from Charlie was open. That was the first thing that caused the tears to rise in her big baby blue eyes and just made her miss him even more. But, the one thing that simply made her sob was what she was holding in her hand. A unopened letter. She didn't need to open it to know who it was from. She recognized the return address, but more importantly the name. Karen Parsons. Her mother. She hadn't heard from her mother for over ten years and now this letter appears out of the blue. She didn't know what to do, her hands shook and her shoulders heaved with her sobs. Sophie didn't want to open the letter but yet wanted to know why her mother had contacted her years after she had deserted her.

Sophie lent forward and grabbed the phone, clenching her hand around a photograph of her and Charlie that Claire had taken of them the day after the wedding. She shook, hitting his speed dial number and placing the phone to her ear as she pulled the blanket further around her. She bit down hard on her full lip as she listened to the ringing tone. "Come on Charlie, pick up please" She whispered through her tears. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she heard that click, indicating that her beloved Charlie had finally picked up his phone.

"Hey my darling" Charlie said as he answered the phone, not expecting what he was about to hear. Instead of hearing Sophie's sweet and cheerful voice in reply to his happy greeting, he heard her chattering teeth and her heaving cries. The sound of her tears sent shivers down his spine, he could feel her pain, fear and confusion in every bone of his body and his heart began to beat faster in shock.

"Sophie, Soph my sweet" He said in a calm soothing voice trying to work his way through her tears to reach her. "Oh Sophie please, it's okay. Listen to me baby, calm down and tell me what is wrong". Sophie sniffled, breathing heavily down the phone as she tried to calm her self down, listening to Charlie's calming sweet nothings. Both of them were unsure how long this went on for. Eventually when he felt that she was calm enough to speak, Charlie started asking questions. How he wished he could be with her, holding her close and stroking her hair. "Sophie Hall, I love you so much, please tell me whats so wrong?"

"Oh Charlie" Sophie whimpered. "I'm scared, I've had a letter. A letter from my mom. I'm terrified to open it, what could she want? I haven't seen her or heard from her since I was nine"

Charlie was shocked. Whenever the break up of her family was mentioned, it was like Sophie went into shock. From working in the courtrooms, Charlie knew what this meant. Some great trauma in the past, something that she couldn't quite get over no matter how hard she tries. Charlie wanted to know what this was, so he could help her to get over it somehow or someway, but he didn't want to ask her and risk causing her more pain. He knew what this felt like, he couldn't get over the trauma of learning his parents had died and even though this had ripped his life apart he could tell that Sophie had been put through more pain and more trauma. He knew her mother left her because she didn't want her.

"A letter from your mom" He said, not knowing what to think. "Wow, I, I don't know what to say Sophie. Well, maybe she saw your story and thought she would get back in contact with you". What was he saying? Charlie couldn't believe that he had said that in a way that implied that her mother wanted to see her again and wrap her arms around her as if nothing had ever happened between them. He didn't know if he was simply being idiotic, or was his lawyers mindset taking over and trying to get her to confess what had happened to her in her troubled childhood.

"But why Charlie?" Sophie snapped. "It wasn't subtle, the way that she left. She didn't simply pack up her bags and leave one night whilst I slept. I don't understand, every time I think of her I see the monster I used to see as a little girl. I wasn't afraid of the monsters under the bed when I was a child, no I was afraid of her"


	2. we will help you

Charlie froze. What was he meant to say in reply to that? He felt torn, unsure about what to do. His lawyer mind set told him to use his cross examination skills to manipulate Sophie into confessing about her traumatic past, but she wasn't some witness in his courtroom, she was his girlfriend. Here she was, the one girl that he wanted to be with forever, whimpering down the phone and silently begging for comfort. He wanted to ask why Sophie was afraid of her mother but he was scared of causing her further distress. "Sophie" He said softly. "My sweet Sophie, will you tell me why?"

Another stutter from Sophie turned quickly into more heart wrenching sobs. "No" she coughed "I mean ... Oh Charlie I'm sorry. I just can't. No now, not like this. I'm in such a state right now" The sound of her crying echoed around her room as she sat in complete darkness, only small flickers of light were flashing from cars racing past outside. She struggled to see these flickers of light through her blurred tear filled eyes like she was struggling to see the light in her situation right now.

Charlie sighed, he only wanted to help her in anyway that he could. "Of course my dear, you can take your time in telling me. I hope you understand that I only want to help you, I am not being nosy" He said "I love you Sophie Hall" Charlie could feel her pain and sorrow and only wanted her to be happy again. He wished that he could be with her but he knew that is was impossible right now.

"I love you too Charlie Wyman, and I know that you are only trying to help me" Sophie cried. "I'll call you tomorrow, I just need to calm down first. I'm not going to open this horrid letter. Not without you here with me, I can't do this alone" Sophie then threw the letter into a drawer and hung up the phone. Placing it down, she stepped across the room and laid into bed, curling up and sobbing allowing the pain to pour out of her in her tears.

Biting his lip, Charlie put the phone down and put his head in his hands. He knew that he would get to see her soon, flights would be starting up again in the next few days. He had missed her before he had spoken to her but now he was desparate to see her. He felt so bad for her, all alone in her big city with all her memories, fears and worries piled onto top of her and him with his family without a worry. But now he was worried for her.

Claire ran a hand through her hair as she saw her grandson sitting there. With a sigh, she went to him. "Charlie" she said. "What ever is the matter?" She stroked his cheek, looking at him with caring eyes as she sat down beside him gently.

"That was Sophie" he said "She's had a letter from her mother, she hasn't had any contact from her in over ten years. I know that her past must be broken and traumatic. You've seen the way that she reacts whenever her mother is mentioned, it's like she goes into shock. I was stupid and said that maybe her mom just wanted to talk to her again. I want her to tell me about her past but I don't want to upset her. Oh nan, she was crying so hard. She said that when she was a little girl, she wasn't afriad of things that little kids are normally scared of, she was afraid of her mom"

Claire put her hand over her mouth. She knew Sophie's mother left her when she was only nine years old but she had expected it only to be through a bad divorce not nothing more sinisiter then that. To Claire, Sophie was the angel like beautiful girl that had brought them all together and she hated to think of her being hurt. Sophie was Claire's sweet little Juliet. "Oh my" She said. "That poor girl. She should be with us here now, not all alone"

"I know gran, but the flights won't start again for at least two days" Charlie said, despration clear in his speech and in the light blue of his eyes, his forehead wrinkled in worry.

Claire kissed his forehead. "Call her everyday sweetheart" She said. "Don't try to get her to confess, just let her talk to you if she wants too. We will see her soon and maybe once she is comfortable here with us, she will start to tell us about everything she has been through. Has she opened the letter?"

"No" Charlie said shaking his head and standing up "She said she didn't want to open it when she was alone. She wants me to be with her when she opens it"

She nodded. "When she arrives we will both talk to her. Now, darling I know that you are a lawyer, but don't let your mindset tell you to start interrogating her" She said as her grandson nodded. "Good, that's my boy. You're are good to her but she is going to need both of us Charlie'

Claire loved Sophie dearly, like the granddaughter she never got to have. Sophie had instantly developed a close relationship with her and Claire knew that she felt comfortable enough to speak and to cry in her presence. Claire had never felt so close to another women then the time she had brushed Sophie's hair when the young women was upset. She could feel that trust between them then. She knew that when Sophie came in a few days, she would have to sit her down and talk to her. Claire made a silent promise to herself to give Sophie the love and care that she needed, the vital maternal touch that Sophie's life lacked.


	3. Together

**Hey everyone! Sorry it took so long for this update. It took a long time for me to work out what I was going to say next. Well,I hope you enjoy it and please leave a review. It is the reviews that keep me going! **

Sophie stood in the arrivals lounge, the Italian voices and writing that surrounded her coming as a relief to her. It had taken three long days for the flights to be restarted and Sophie couldn't describe how good it felt to be back in Italy again. She stood, biting down on her lip, clutching her carry on bag. She felt as if the letter was burning a hole in the leather bag and she was not sure how much longer she could take it. Thinking about the letter from her mother made that horrible sting of painful memories come to her and she had to prevent herself from allowing tears to take over her.

"Sophie" She heard "Sophie my darling"

Breaking out of her thoughts, she looked up. Her eyes met with Charlie's pale blue orbs and she felt some of the weight of her worries being lifted from her shoulders, as if Charlie was supporting it, supporting her. She smiled to him, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly, as if she was afraid that he was going to vanish completely. "Oh Charlie, thank God I'm finally with you" She whispered, burying her face in his chest.

"Shh baby" Charlie whispered, stroking her hair. "I'm with you now, and we are going to sort out this mess with this blasted letter. I promise"

Sophie nodded looking up at him. "Okay" She murmured intertwining their hands and walking with him. They collected her luggage and got into the car. He leaned across to give her a light and soft kiss, to which she happily returned. Charlie smiling and steering one handed, kept a firm but loving hold on her hand as if sending silent comfort. Sophie smiled sweetly to him. "Thank you"

"You are always welcome Soph" Charlie said softly. "I hate to see you sad like this. I want to make you happy again sweetheart"

The drive to the vineyard was quiet, with Sophie only saying a few words here and there. When Charlie pulled up outside the old stone building, they could see Claire standing outside waiting for them. She ran a hand through her hair and looked to Sophie with great care and love in her eyes. She smiled lovingly, putting her hands out to the young women. "Come here my darling"

Sophie gave a teary smile, stepping forward to be enveloped in Claire's arms. She rested her head on her older women's shoulder as Claire ran her hands through Sophie's long blond hair, kissing her cheek and forehead. There was something in a hug from a grandmother that Sophie couldn't find anywhere else and the thought of it brought tears closer to falling. She clung to that feeling in Claire's hug, her heart aching. She loved Claire dearly, but this love made her think of the loss of her own grandmother, Amelia. There wasn't a day when Sophie didn't miss her. She pulled away slightly, looking at Claire's face as tears started falling.

"Oh Sophie, dear" Claire gushed. "Please don't cry, I hate to see my little angel sent friend upset. Charlie and I are here to help you through this, you're not alone anymore"

Charlie stepped forward, placing a hand on Sophie's shoulder and kissing her temple. "You go with Gran baby, I'll gather your luggage and put it in our room, then I will come and join you"

Sophie nodded, wiping her eyes and taking Claire's hand. The kindly women smiles putting an arm around Sophie and leading her inside to the warm and homely living room of the house. They sat down together as Claire grabbed a tissue and carefully wiped Sophie's tears away. "Why the tears Sophie?" She said. "You're here now"

"I know" Sophie whispered. "But, oh Claire, you are so kind to me and treat me like your own daughter and it just makes me think of me not having this feeing of love of a maternal figure before, I only had my grandmother. But she's gone now"

Claire smiled sympathetically, feeling as if she had just started to open the window into Sophie's past. "I see darling. Now, listen to me Sophie. I love you as if you were my own child. You did such a kind thing for me, a complete stranger and I will repay you with my love. If you ever did someone maternal to talk to, I want you to know that you can come to me, whatever the problem is" She said, stroking Sophie's tear covered cheek. "You understand that?"

Sophie smiled and nodded. "Thank you Claire" She smiled hugging her.

Charlie came in and sat close beside Sophie, taking her hand in his. He wanted to get straight to looking at the letter, but didn't want to push Sophie into talking about it. "Sophie" He said. "About this letter". He looked across at Claire for a moment and saw her shoot a disapproving glare in his direction, and he knew she was saying "Don't push her, you're not in court now Charles' with her eyes.

Sophie sniffled, grabbing her bag and pulling the letter out of it. "It arrived a week ago. I'm too scared to open it. I don't know what she wants. It's been too long, too long since she left me. I hate her"

Charlie gently took the letter from her and set it on the table before taking her into his arms. "Shh shh Sophie, it's going to be alright. Whatever she wants, we will sort it out together, no matter what" He said drawing shapes on her back with his fingers. Claire stroked her hair softly, wanting to bring some comfort to her.

Sophie sighed sitting up and wiping her tears away. "You're right, I'm being foolish" she said taking hold of the letter again. "I guess I better see what's in this"

Charlie nodded, even though he suspected that Sophie's sudden change of heart about the letter was simply trying to cover up the pain and sorrow that hid behind her now brave face. He could tell that this letter was not going to be pleasant and that it was going to hurt her but he wanted to do whatever he could to protect her from the pain and hurt, no matter what it took.


	4. Anger, tears and change

Charlie leaned back in his seat slightly to look over the scene playing out beside him. He saw his grandmother with her arm around his precious Sophie as she prepared to open the letter from her mother. For a moment, he felt as if the picture was frozen and he could see behind the forced brave look in Sophie's big blue eyes. He could see the fear, the sorrow and the pain that hid in the darkest corners of her mind, waiting to jump out as soon as that letter was opened. It was as if the emotions were mocking her, pushing this brave face out to make her feel as if this letter wasn't going to harm her. As much as he wanted to know the truth, he couldn't bare the thought of her crying anymore, couldn't bare the thought of her finding more pain and hurt in the words of the letter.

"Sophie no" He said suddenly, jumping slightly when she quickly looked up from the letter. "Don't open it"

"But..." Sophie muttered. "I thought you wanted me to open it, I thought you wanted to know"

"You should forget all about it Soph" Charlie said, trying to take the letter from her hands. "Your mother doesn't deserve you, she doesn't deserve any contact from you"

Claire looked over at Charlie. "Charles, surely she should read it and find out what her mother wants in the first place. Have you ever thought that she might actually want to make things right again? No matter what she did in the past"

Sophie rested her head against Claire's shoulder. "I was scared of her when I was just a little girl"

"I know Sweetie" Claire whispered. "But just read the letter please, then we will move on from there".

"She should move on all together Gran" Charlie snapped. "Give me the letter Sophie. Look, I can throw it in the fire and let it burn. That way we can just move on and forget all about it"

"No Charlie you know thats not the right answer. If she doesn't get a reply to this letter, she is just going to keep sending letters" Sophie said, her brave face failing her as tears welled. "What's wrong with you, five minutes ago you wanted me to open it"

"We can just keep burning the letters" Charlie said, getting annoyed.

"Charlie, you're wrong" Claire said. "You said that you wanted to help Sophie, but look what you are doing"

Sophie looked up at him, tears falling down her cheeks. "You're making it worse" She wept. "So much for everything is going to be alright"

"Sophie, my sweetheart, I'm sorry. It's just that letter could..."

"Leave it Charlie" She cried standing up and turning away from him. "Just leave it"

With that, Sophie ran from the room, running up the stairs towards her room. Charlie went to follow but Claire grabbed his arm. "I really don't think she would want to see you right now. I really don't want to know what you were thinking. Now, you stay here and I'll go and sort out your crying girlfriend"

Claire walked out of the room and followed Sophie's hurried footsteps up the stairs, leaving Charlie in his own company. He knew that Sophie had taken the letter with her, and had this horrid feeling that she was going to open it in this state he had placed her into. He couldn't work out what was going through her mind. It was clear that there was pain there in her, and confusion. He was wandering if she wanted it to be good news and she wanted to be reunited. No matter what, he just wanted to hold her close and never let her go. He wanted, no, needed to protect her.

Sophie lay on her bed in her and Charlie's bedroom, the letter held firmly in her hand. Her feelings felt like a sickly bubbling potion in the pit of her stomach and tears flooded down her cheeks. Even though she was terrified of what she might find on that letter, she wanted to know what her mother had to say. Karen had been the monster of her childhood, controlling and rude, but maybe there had been a change.

"Sophie, my darling" Claire said coming in and sitting on the edge of the bed. "Come on dear. It's okay if you don't want to talk but will you please listen to me" Sophie looked up at her and wiped her eyes, nodding.

"That's my girl" Claire smiled moving to sit close beside Sophie, giving the young women a warm sense of love and comfort. Sophie gave a small watery smile and rested her head on Claire's lap, relaxing as the grandmother began to run her hands through Sophie's hair. The simple gesture had always been comforting to her. "Now Sophie, I can only apologize for my grandson's behavior" Claire said. "He's worried for you. And I am too, my darling. And I think that you've got a little battle going on in this pretty little head of yours. You don't quite know what to think do you?"

"She was horrible to me" Sophie whispered, feeling as if the words were hot smoke pouring out of her. "But people change. Maybe even monsters change"

Claire raised an eyebrow, wanting to know why Sophie referred to her mother as a monster but she couldn't push the girl to tell her. " Charlie only wants you to be happy, and he thinks that this letter is going to hurt you, and make you cry. He didn't want to make you cry, but he did and he is an idiot for it. Now he's a relative so I'm not going to sugar coat calling him an idiot. He's scared for you, and he wants to protect you"

"I don't need his protection" Sophie said sharply sitting up. "I came for comfort not protection Claire. I know it's going to hurt me and yes I am scared, but I don't need his big-headed over-protectiveness, thank you very much"

**Read and review please :-) **


	5. Revelations

**I am sorry for taking so long to update this. I have been really struggling with writers block as well as being extremely busy.**

**Well on with the story**

**Will the letter finally be revealed?**

Claire had never seen so many emotions twisted and locked together in one pair of eyes. When she really thought about it, she found that this was the first time she had properly looked into Sophie's eyes. On this occasion, her face was still and lacking any emotion. It was those eyes that held everything. Those amazing big blue eyes were full of pain, hurt, confusion and sadness, all mixed together. The emotions were fighting each other, causing sparks, and those sparks were falling. They were falling as tears.

"Now Sophie" Claire said. "I know that you don't mean all of that. And I think that you need a male's point of view"

"I don't want to talk to him" Sophie said. "And I don't care if I sound that a spoiled little kid when I say it. I don't want to speak to Charlie"

"I didn't say you had to talk to Charlie now did I?" Claire smiled stroking her cheeks lovingly. "Lorenzo has been talking to him, and I believe that he will be able to give you Charlie's point of view. Now, come with me"

Sophie sighed and nodded standing up with her. Claire led her outside to Lorenzo and sat her down. "Lorenzo honey" She said kissing his cheek. "Please tell our dear Sophie here what Charlie said to you"

Lorenzo nodded and patted Sophie's hand. "Sweet girl, Charlie worships the ground you walk on" He smiled. "He doesn't want to see you hurt"

"I know" Sophie replied leaning back in her chair. "But that doesn't mean that he should be over protective"

"Indeed it doesn't" He said. "But if it were him, would you want to do anything in your power to prevent him from being hurt?"

Sophie bit down on her lip. "Of course I would, I love him"

"Then I believe that you are now seeing his point" Lorenzo smiled. "Why don't you go and talk to him innamorato?"

Sophie nodded and stood up rushing up to his bedroom. "Charlie? Are you in here?"

"Yes darling" He said opening the door. "I am sorry Sophie"

"I know you are Charlie" Sophie said going in and sitting on the bed. "I love you and I thank you for wanting to protect me but I want you to understand that I am not a little girl and I know that I am going to get hurt one way or another. You can't protect me from all of this Charlie, just comfort me when it happens"

Charlie sighed and sat beside her, looking down. "I love you more than anything. I hope you know that. I apologise for over doing things" He said running his hand up and down her arm. "I'll protect you and comfort you for all I am worth"

Sophie smiled sweetly turning to him and lacing her arms around his neck. "Of course you will" She smiled kissing him softly. "I am lucky to have you, I really am"

"Nonsense" He said. "I am the lucky one. I am a arrogant, big headed cocky Londoner and you are a beautiful intelligent women who I cannot lose an argument with because she is far too clever for me"

Sophie laughed, resting her head against his shoulder. She kissed the soft skin on his neck and reached into her pocket, pulling out the crumbled up letter. Her smile faded but she still looked up into his pale blue eyes. "I guess I better open this" She said. "Will you open it Charlie? Please?"

Charlie sighed and nodded, gently taking the letter from her hand. He ripped the envelope slowly and carefully along the top and pulled out the folded paper. He looked up at his precious Sophie before unfolding the paper and allowing his eyes to fall open the words. With a gulp, he began to read aloud the contents.

Sophie Hall

Apartment 22

Lenten House

West 22nd street

Manhattan

New York City

Dear Sophie Hall,

A writer? A writer? I told you not to be a writer. And as always you disobey me. Are you as rude and awful to your boss at that stupid New Yorker as you were to me?

You could be leading some great law business now, married to an amazing courtroom man with a grand house on the Oxford Lane estate. But no, you decide to be a writer, living in an apartment with some rotten bloke with a passion for cooking. I cannot hide my disgust Sophie.

I see that my parenting techniques did not lead you in the right direction. I blame your horrid father for patching you up the wrong way. I should have been more like me. Squash the rat whilst it's down to keep it down. That is what I say.

It is obvious that you were not black and blue enough. I obviously left some areas untouched. This will have to be sorted. It may have been eleven and half years but I still have control

With all my disgust

Karen Parsons.


	6. The Truth

Charlie bit down upon his lip, turning slighting to look at his beautiful girl. She was looking down, her hair falling forwards and hiding her face. Sophie pulled her legs up, curling up to him and wrapping her arms around him. Her petite frame began to tremor as she started to cry. He wasn't sure if he could understand this letter. It was obvious that Sophie's mother had not been a pleasant woman in the slightest and had held a firm hold of control in Sophie's childhood. But, he knew that the words upon the page of the letter held more secrets then he could easily see.

Charlie wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back and kissing her head. "Shh shh my sweetheart. Please Sophie, come on now." He whispered, rubbing his cheek gently against the soft curls of her golden hair.

"She was a monster!" Sophie cried. "And she still is"

He nodded and pulled back slightly, making her look up at him. He cupped her beautiful face in his hands and wiped the hot tears away with his thumbs. "I need you to explain this to me" He said. "Why didn't she want you to be a writer? Your writing is amazing, couldn't she see that?"

"She..." Sophie wept, her breaths coming out rapidly like that of a fire breathing dragon. "She was a lawyer. And she thought that journalism was for the brain dead. She... She controlled everything about my life, since the moment I was born"

Charlie nodded stroking her hair. "It was all going to be alright. I won't allow her back into your life, she won't control you anymore. I promise" He said, pulling her close so her body rested against his chest. "Come on now sweet girl, calm down please. I hate to see you crying like this". To him, every tear drop felt as if it was pulling a piece of his heart away. He held onto her tightly, as if trying to hold her shaken world together in his arms.

She nodded, her big blue eyes swimming in a salty sea of tears, each drop holding a memory. A memory that she wished she could forget.

...

Once Sophie had fallen asleep, Charlie laid her down and put the covers around her. "Sleep well my darling, don't you worry" He whispered before leaving the room.

"Nana" He said walking into the family room where Claire sat with Lorenzo. "We opened it... And it's awful"

Claire carefully took the crumbled sheet of paper from her grandson's hand, leaning back into the couch as she began to read. Certain lines stuck into her mind like sharp needles, stinging and sending shivers down her spine.

'_I blame your horrid father for patching you up the wrong way. I should have been more like me. Squash the rat whilst it's down to keep it down.'_

'_It is obvious that you were not black and blue enough. I obviously left some areas untouched'_

"Oh my goodness" Claire said, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth. "No wonder the poor girl was afraid to open the letter. These words are like venom, striking out to sting and attack Sophie"

Charlie nodded. "Nana" He said. "What can we do? Sophie... She's wonderful. How could anyone talk like this about her? Let alone her own mother?"

Claire sat forward, laying the letter on the table and moving back to stroke Charlie's cheek. "Dear Boy, we may know that Sophie is wonderful and beautiful and perfect, but that is in our eyes. Not everyone see anyone is same way. From the words upon that page, we can see that Sophie's mother wasn't a pleasant woman in any sense of the word. She may have damaged Sophie's childhood in both a mental and physical sense." 

Charlie nodded. "Her mother wants back into her life Nana. We can't allow that. She wants to stop Sophie from writing, stopping her dream. She wants and craves control"

Claire bit her lip. "We will give her all the love and the comfort that she obviously did not receive from her mother. That way we can protect her whilst still allowing her to find a way of handling this herself. Where is Sophie now?"

"She is sleeping Nana" Charlie said "I held her until she cried herself to sleep"

"The poor girl" Claire said, leaning back and resting her head on Lorenzo's shoulder. He sat reading the letter carefully, picking out every word to find the truth behind the writing. He sighed, shaking his head. "Awful, just terrible" He said.

"Yes" Charlie sighed. "If only I knew what Sophie's mother did to her"

Lorenzo patted his shoulder. "I believe it is clear that Sophie's mother has hidden what she did to her little girl in these very words. There are many clues" He said.

Charlie's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?" He asked. "Like those words are some sort of code?"

"In a sense, yes, you could say that" Lorenzo sighed. "Look at this".

Charlie moved to sit beside Lorenzo as the older man pointed out lines of the letter.

'_I blame your horrid father for patching you up the wrong way. I should have been more like me. Squash the rat whilst it's down to keep it down.'_

"Sophie's father is the one who raised her completely alone after her mother left, right?" Lorenzo said. "This is saying that her mother and father did not get along. They had different parenting believes, different senses of love for their daughter?"

Charlie nodded.

"Squash the rat whilst it's down to keep it down" He said. "That's saying that when her mother did one thing, her father would come in and stop it, making it better for Sophie"

"It would explain why they split up and why Sophie is so close to her father" Charlie said.

'_It is obvious that you were not black and blue enough. I obviously left some areas untouched'_

"Yes" Lorenzo replied. "And look. Not black and blue enough. Areas untouched?"

Claire gasped, the all too painful message hitting her hard.

"Black and blue. To be beaten black and blue" Lorenzo said, in shock. "Sophie's mother used to abuse her, beat her"


	7. memories

**Hey everyone. Sorry for the amount of time that it has taken me to update. Exam period has just started and a busy couple of months are coming up. As for this chapter, there will be a flashback written in italics. **

**Please read and review **

Charlie gasped and closed his eyes tight for a brief moment, as if trying to block any images of bruises and cuts covering his girl's beautiful porcelain face from coming into his subconscious. He could feel that cold hard lump forming in his throat and he felt sick to the pit of his stomach. He knew that Sophie's childhood had been bad, but he could have never imagined that it could have been that sort of nightmare where the monster never left her, even when it had vanished out of view. "Oh Nana" He breathed.

Claire wiped a tear from her eye and leaned forward to run her fingers through Charlie's hair. "Come on Charlie, you have to stay strong for her. I know that she is a strong and independent young woman but this is her weakness and you need to be her strength"

Charlie nodded and stood up. "I'll…I'll come up with something in order to protect her Nan. I will do anything it takes. Right now, I need to be with her". He took a deep breath and rubbed his teary eyes before striding out of the room. He entered the bedroom to the sight of Sophie sleeping soundly, buried under the comforting softness of the quilt. She looked so peaceful, as if nothing was worrying her, but of course, she had the fear, worries and nerves piled on top of her, chipping away at the wall of strength and hope she had constructed around her since she was nine years old.

He sighed, carefully moving the blankets to lie beside her. He pulled her close, enveloping her tightly in his arms, and kissed her head. He laid for what felt like hours, watching her sleep, her head moving to rest on his chest.

As Charlie held her, he felt her stir. "Sophie" He whispered, brushing his hand across her cheek. "Hello baby"

Her blue eyes fluttered open and she blinked quickly to adjust to the light and capture her focus against his face. "Hello" She said, a blank emotionless expression on her face.

He let a sigh cross his lips. "Lorenzo thinks he has it worked out" He said. "I need you to tell me the truth Sophie. Now more hiding. Did your mother abuse you? Did she hit you?"

Sophie immediately choked up, her vision blurring with tears. She stayed rigid and motionless for a few seconds, before nodding. "Yes"

"_No. I don't want too". The tearful whine crossed the lips of the six year old little girl in a pitiful attempt to appear brave and strong. She stood in the kitchen of a large New York house, the light gleaming back off of the bright white cabinets making her squint. She wore a perfectly presented little red dress, topped with a white cardigan and her long never cut blonde hair was tied back in two perfectly straight plaits that stretched down her back. Yet, her face wasn't perfect. Her lip was cut, her eyelid grazed and her cheek red. She looked up at her mother._

_Her mother towered over her, her black clothing contrasting against her bleached blonde hair. "What did you say? Now, listen to me you little runt. "You are going to finish cleaning this kitchen until it shines like the diamonds I wear. Then you will do the usual, slap on a smile for daddy when he gets home. Then he will suspect nothing. Do you hear me?" She snapped holding Sophie by the shoulders. _

_Sophie blinked away tears. This was an everyday occurrence. Sophie's father would leave for work before she was awake, then her mother would wake her minutes later for breakfast of dry toast and milk. If she didn't clean her room, or weed the garden or complete her homework the moment she returned home from school, the beatings would start. A slap here and a claw grab there, it had reached a point that Sophie was used to it, but that did not stop it from hurting. About half an hour before her father returned home, her mother would cover her daughters face in make up so thick that it wouldn't rub off until the next morning. _

_She nodded. "Yes mommy, I'll clean it mommy" She whimpered. "Please let go…" _

"_Gladly" She scoffed, pushing the small girl to the floor. "I do not know what ever made me want children. You are a rotten little girl, who does not deserve to walk this Earth. You want to be a writer, you say, a dream that matches your brain dead little mind! Now get to work!" _

_Sophie wiped her eyes with balled up fists. "Yes mommy" She whispered grabbing the sponge and climbing onto the stool. "Whatever you say, mommy". She scrubbed the counters until she could see her reflection in it. She could still every cut and bruise and the tears that run down her face. She was programmed, each hit acting as a button to get her to carry out the work that her mother could not be bothered to do. She did not have a child out of love. She did not want a child to love and care for, to see grow up into a success. No, she wanted a child to do all of the work. _

_Karen watched Sophie carefully, smirking. "That's it, work for your supper runt. You're like Cinderella, your precious princess. But this is forever, no happily ever after" _

"_Be quiet mommy" Sophie cried. "No talking whilst working, that's what you said" _

"_I meant you!" She snapped. "I can talk when I want. A child, like you, should be seen and not heard. And daddy will never found out, he is as brain dead as you are. Mommy loves you, a little slave, just what I have always wanted…." _

**Well there it was. Wow, Sophie's mother really was a monster wasn't she?**

**Please review. Your comments keep me writing. **


	8. Articles to perfect

**Right, first things first, I need to get down on my knees and apologise for how long it has been since I updated this. I didn't realise it had been this long. I kept thinking how it's only been a few months, it is okay, and I can do this. But my motivation was gone. I hope that this story still has the followers that it did before; they mean a lot to me. I hope you enjoy this, I must call it filler, bringing in more of the relationship between Sophie and Charlie before the drama kicks in. **

Time passed with little being said about the letter, Sophie's mother and her past as an abused child. She was thankful for this, to be honest. It had given her a chance to build herself normality with Charlie. She knew that Charlie was still protective of her and had plans to keep her safe no matter what no matter what it took. She had caught him ringing friends in New York to make sure that no more letters had arrived and checking that her mother had never made effort in any other way of contacting her. It had made her laugh, how determined he was to make sure she was safe. She had told herself that her mother could not find her here in Italy, and when they returned to New York as a couple, she would be safe with Charlie. She wasn't scared when she was with him.

Charlie could not put into words how much Sophie meant to him, how much he would put on the line to keep her safe. He had spent hours researching various restraining orders and court policies that he could have put into place if ever Sophie's mother tried to come near her. He wouldn't let any harm come to her, for he could not bear to think about losing her. If her mother had been a monstrous control freak when her daughter was a defenceless little girl, why would she be any different now? He was not going to take any risks. He did not bring the subject up at all

….

Sophie sighed signing off of her emails and shutting down the laptop before leaning back in her seat. It was just her luck, just her rotten luck, that at the moment when she felt she was finally putting the letter behind her and trying not to think about her past, Bobby would write with a new assignment. A special double page spread, for mother's day. Of course, she had said she would do it as he didn't know about her past, no one did other than Charlie, Claire and Lorenzo and of course her father. And double page spreads did not come up often, especially for someone who had only just become a writer. With a deep breath, she run her hand over her hair and turned when she heard someone speak behind her.

"Are you alright darling?" Charlie asked softly walking to her. "You seem tense". He had been standing there for a while now, watching her deep within her thoughts as she sorted out her work. He was proud of her, without a doubt, for working so hard to get where she wanted to be.

"Yes Charlie, I'm fine, just a little agitated" Sophie said smiling as she felt his warm hands on her shoulders, rubbing her skin gently

"Why? Work getting busy" He asked leaning down and kiss her cheek as he knelt down to face her better.

"Bobby wants me to write this article, and I said I would. But it's hard because it's a special entry for mother's day" Sophie sighed looking at him.

"A mother's day article, oh Sophie" Charlie sighed brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "And he doesn't know?"

"No one knows, except you, Claire, Lorenzo and obviously my father" Sophie replied "I have to do it anyway, it's a double page spread and they don't come often. I'll do it and put everything aside. It's what I have been doing for years"

With a gentle nod, Charlie stood and drew her up to stand bringing her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his torso, resting her head on his shoulder as he held her. "I will try and help you all that I can baby, and you know that you can tell me anything don't you?"

"Of course I do Charlie" Sophie nodded leaning back to look him in the eye. "I also know that you will anything to protect me"

"You know that is true, you're my girl, I love you" Charlie smiled giving her a chaste kiss "Everything is going to be alright. You will write this story and it will be incredible, because everything you write is, and if your mother attempts to contact you again or God forbid, she tries to come near you, there will be trouble ahead for her."

Sophie nodded. "I know, you think you've been secretive but I know you have been looking up court policies and orders. I appreciate it Charlie, really I do, but we have got to work through this whole wild mess one step at a time. She might not try to get in contact again and to be completely honest that is the option I am hoping for"

"Me too" Charlie nodded kissing her forehead. "We will go home to New York, and it will be perfect. If you had asked be months ago if I would be excited at the idea of living in the big city of New York, I probably would have called you crazy but know I must admit it will be amazing"

Sophie smiled brightly "Have I broken the great Charlie Wyman? Have I made him want to leave his precious London?"

Charlie laughed pulling her up into his arms "I believe so darling" He smiled kissing her "You can work wonders"

"Though before I thought I could only do it with words" Sophie smiled

"That as well, but you can break me just by looking at me" Charlie replied.

….

Charlie awoke in the early hours of one morning to the sound of tapping laptop keys. They had been in New York for a week now and Sophie was stuck in the writer's mind-set that made her want to make her story perfect. She would write for hours, typing a paragraph and then deleting it. Every sentence became linked to a memory of her past, whether it was a memory of a day she spent with her mother hiding and hoping that she would make it through the day without acquiring new bruise or one of the happy memories that she clung too. A memory of a day she spent with her grandmother. Those memories of course linked to the memories of the days she spent wishing her grandmother was still with her.

"Sophie, it's 3 am" Charlie said as he walked to the office in the next room along from the bedroom. "The story can wait until the sun comes up, come to bed darling"

"Charlie this story needs to be finished and it needs to be good" Sophie sighed looking up at him. "It needs to be perfect". She was exhausted, but she wanted this story to be the best she had done, it was her first double page spread and if it was not good enough she knew that she would be in trouble with Bobby. And as she always said, she was a perfectionist.

"It will be perfect, but you can make it perfect in daylight hours" Charlie said "After all, you won't be able to write to the absolute best of your ability when you are tired"

Sophie nodded. "I guess you're right"

"I tend to be" Charlie smiled taking her hand as she stood, the comment making her roll her eyes. He led her back to the bedroom, laying down beside her and brushing hair out of her eyes.

"It really does have to be perfect Charlie, but it's hard" Sophie sighed

He nodded "I know baby, I wish I could help in some way"

"I know you do" Sophie replied cuddling up to him. "But I can do it; I just need to keep working"

"Well work tomorrow when you are rested, it will be better that way" Charlie said wrapping his arms around her and keeping her close.

**I know that this is short but I just wanted to get an update up here, its been far too long **


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